What in 2012 looked like the distant future now looks a lot closer to adaptation, especially since the project now has the official support of Activision.

The specifics behind it are very technical (you can read the full papers and technical breakdown here), but the gist is that our eyes perceive translucent materials -- like human flesh -- differently than they do more solid surfaces, so we need different techniques to represent that.

What's cool about SSSS is that it's been designed specifically for real-time use in video games. Not cutscenes, not cinematic intros, but actual gameplay.

This clip shows the benefits of using this kind of tech; it can take a standard video game face, which looks as much like a clay statue as a living person, and without losing any detail make it all look "softer" and more realistic.